Bato skips budget bicam hearing

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was a no-show as a member of the Senate contingent at the first-ever live-streamed Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations for the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget on Saturday, continuing his month-long absence at the upper chamber.

Senate Finance Committee chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian earlier expressed hope that Dela Rosa would not skip the bicam. 

Dela Rosa is among the senators elected to represent the upper chamber during the bicameral meeting.

He was designated as one of the contingents due to his vice-chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee.

Dela Rosa has been avoiding public appearance since early November, following Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s announcement that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest against him over the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

He was a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and was the main implementer of the campaign against illegal drugs during the previous administration.

Dela Rosa's lawyer has said that the senator is avoiding public appearance because “his personal safety is at stake” amid the reported arrest warrant against him from the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to his lawyer Thursday.

Meanwhile, senators present during Saturday’s bicam are Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo, Kiko Pangilinan, Mark Villar, Imee Marcos, and Bong Go.

Also absent were senators Pia Cayetano, JV Ejercito, and Camille Villar. —VAL, GMA Integrated News